By LOU KOHLMANN Gazette Staff Writer – August 23, 1983
Father Jan phys. ed. teacher George Manoli, 24, finished second in Heavyweight and first overall in team competition leading Canada to the overall team championship at the 4th annual Koskiki (with protective equipment) Shorin Jiryu Kenkokan Karate-Do competition: in Maracaibo, Venezuela Aug. 27 and 28. A third degree black belt, Manoli, despite a 2-0 loss to Venezuela’s Hector Antunez in the Heavyweight final – “I was too offensive,” explains the St. Albert karate teacher, still managed to improve upon his international record having finished second in Open and third in Heavyweight at Manoli’s first full contact Koskiki competition in Japan in 1980. Canada also won the first ever team competition in 1980 and in 1983 defeated five other nations for the team title. Manoli is presently “gearing up” for the 5th annual Koskiki competition in Kyoto, Japan next year.